A few days after Strikeforce officials announced that middleweight matchup, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned Kennedy (12-3 MMA, 3-1 SF) instead will fight Melvin Manhoef (24-8-1 MMA, 0-1 SF) at next month’s show.

The bout is expected to be part of the Showtime-televised main card of “Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson,” which takes place March 5 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

The reason for the change was not immediately known. However, sources said bout agreements are in the process of being finalized, though they’re currently not signed.

Manhoef actually is the third proposed opponent for Kennedy at Strikeforce’s debut show in the Buckeye State. Prior to the Rockhold booking, officials initially targeted a rubber match between Kennedy and Jason “Mayhem” Miller that recently was scrapped.

Kennedy, who recently has struggled to get opponents, fights for the first time since an August decision loss to Ronald “Jacare” Souza for the Strikeforce interim middleweight title. Prior to the defeat, the former IFL fighter won four consecutive fights, which included submission victories over Strikeforce’s Nick Thompson, Zak Cummings and Trevor Prangley.

Manhoef, who’s also an active K-1 kickboxer, fights for Strikeforce for only the second time. He first appeared in January 2009 and suffered a first-round knockout loss to Robbie Lawler. Combined with that loss, Manhoef now has dropped four of his past six fights. Prior to the skid, the DREAM veteran had posted a 6-1 mark (with six knockout wins) from 2007 to 2008. In fact, 23 of his 24 career MMA wins have come via knockout.

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